Why did Sultan Firoz
Shah Tughlaq establish the city of Hisar, which lies in the desert
belt? There are different reasons given by various historians but the
most widely accepted one, maintains M.M.
Juneja, is that the Sultan built the city, including the Gujari
Mahal, for his beloved, a Gujari, who refused to live with him in
Delhi.

THOUGH
the present city of Hisar was founded in 1354 AD by Sultan Firoz Shah
Tughlaq,its actual origin is as old as history itself. Its antiquity
may be established on the basis of discovery of certain nearby sites
like Banawali, Rakhigarhi, Seeswal, Agroha and Hansi. Historian V.S.
Aggarwal writes: "Aisukari or Isukara, a beautiful and prosperous
city of the Kuru Janapada, referred to by Panini, was the ancient name
of Hisar." Besides, the Jain’s Uttaradhayama Sutra mentions
a town called Isukara in the Kuru land. On the basis of excavations
done on the lost courses of the Saraswati and Drishadvati rivers, it
is learnt that the earliest settlers on the soil of Isukara were the
pre-Harappans who, in the first phase of the 3rd millennium BC, had
migrated from north Rajasthan.

According to a report, when Sultan Firoz
started constructing the city of Hisar, there were two villages in
that area, namely, Laara Khurd (big) and Laara Kalan (small),
dominated by Muslim Gujars. There was also a dera near the
hamlets, where a Sufi saint called Behlol Shah lived. The inhabitants
of the nearby villages frequently flocked the dera to pay their
respects to the Sufi saint, who was known for his piety and wisdom.
The dera also had a well, which was the main source of drinking
water for the nearby villagers.

The Gujari Mahal in Hisar

The Sultan was aware
of the scarcity of water in the area but he was determined to develop
a beautiful city there. As no city can be developed without the
availability of enough water, the Sultan drafted a plan for a canal,
which was excavated by 1356. As the canal was filled with the Yamuna
water, it was subsequently known as the Western Yamuna Canal.

The construction work
of the city began in the last quarter of 1354 under the supervision of
the Sultan himself. The royal palace, popularly known as the Gujari
Mahal, was the main attraction of the city. Apart from its several
underground rooms, the complex had different buildings like Bara-Dari,
Laat-Ki-Masjid, Diwan-e-Aam, Shahi Darwaaza, etc. The well-laid-out
gardens also added to the beauty of the palace complex. Most of the
raw material used in it was brought from Agroha.

A boundary wall
surrounded almost all the buildings of the palace. A good number of
the nobles and amirs of the empire were also invited by Sultan
Firoz to get their houses built in the walled city. The boundary wall
was made of stones brought from the hills of Narsai (present Narnaul).
The houses were built with lime and burnt bricks. A big tank was
constructed inside the fort, and a ditch dug round the wall surrounded
the fort-city. The walled city had four strong doors, subsequently
known as the Talaki, Nagori, Delhi and Mori gates. For the use of
travellers, a beautiful hamaam and masjid were
constructed near the present Moti Bazaar. After the incessant work of
two and a half years, the infrastructure of the city was completed by
the first quarter of 1357.

Sultan Firoz Tughlaq
named the city ‘Hisar-e-Firoza’, which meant ‘Fort of Firoz’.
The word Hisar, also spelt as ‘Hissar’, is a Persian word meaning
fort or kila. For nearly two centuries, the city was called
Hisar-e-Firoza or Hisar-Firoza, but during the reign of Akbar
(1556-1605), it came to be simply known as Hisar.

On its establishment,
the city was made the headquarters of a separate division called the shiq.
The adjoining districts — known as iqtas — of Agroha,
Sarsuti, Salurah and Khizrabad were attached to the shiq of
Hisar-Firoza. The first shiqdar of Hisar-Firoza division was an
energetic official, Malik Dilah, who belonged to the royal family.
Thus, the newly established divisional headquarters, Hisar-Firoza,
began to emerge as an important centre of political and fiscal affairs
of the empire.

The founder of the
city, Sultan Firoz Tughlaq, was born in 1309. His mother, Bibi Naila,
was the daughter of a Hindu chief, Ram Mal Bhatti, of Abohar. His
father, Nasiruddin Rajab, was the younger brother of Giyasuddin, the
first ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty. On his birth, Firoz was named
Kamaluddin.

Since Firoz lost his
father at the tender age of seven, his beloved uncle, Giyasuddin
Tughlaq, took care of him. Firoz’s relations with his cousin, Sultan
Muhammad Tughlaq (1325-51), were also cordial. After the death of his
issueless cousin, Firoz ascended the throne of Delhi on March 23,
1351. Firoz ruled for more than 37 years.

Firoz was evidently
an indefatigable builder of several towns and cities, including
Fatehabad, Hisar-Firoza, Firozabad and Jaunpur. Because of his love
for canals, he is rightly called the ‘Father of Indian Irrigation.’
Firoz Tughlaq died on September 20, 1388.The tomb of Firoz is in
Delhi, which was the headquarters of his empire. The city of Hisar,
regrettably, has built no memorial to its founder.

Why did Firoz
establish the city of Hisar, which lies in the desert belt? There are
different reasons given by various historians.

Firstly, the city was
significant from the commercial point. It was built on the Suleman
route, which started from Delhi and passing through Sirsa, Bhawalpur
and Multan reached the borders of Iran. It was then one of the most
important commercial routes of the country. To promote trade in the
region, Firoz built this city.

Secondly, as per some
historians, the inhabitants of the surrounding area, who were
descendants of the Yodheys, were hostile. In order to crush their
frequent rebellions, the Sultan decided to build a strong garrison in
the shape of a fort.

Thirdly, it is said
that the Sultan, who had a great love for hunting, frequently visited
the birs (jungles) situated around the proposed city. These
jungles were full of wild animals, especially the neel-gai, black
bucks and the chinkara or ravine deer.

Lastly, it is
believed that Prince Firoz fell in love with a local milk-maid. When
Firoz became the Sultan, he asked the gujari to live with him in
Delhi, but she refused. He thus built for his beloved the Gujari Mahal,
and also developed the city of Hisar. Though this is the most widely
acknowledged story, history is almost silent about it.

Hisar, at present, has the highest
per capita income in Haryana. It is known for its biggest cattle farm
in India and the largest auto-market in Asia. It has an agricultural
university of world fame.